


Unexpected Developments

by MysticalAuthoress



Series: Trials of the Wild [10]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Yakitate!! Japan
Genre: Alive Champions (Legend of Zelda), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Ballroom Dancing, Breath of the Wild Spoilers, Dancing, F/M, M/M, Multi, Party, Post-Breath of the Wild, Secret Crush, Slow Dancing, Slow Romance, Yakitate!! Japan Spoilers, resurrected champions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29912235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticalAuthoress/pseuds/MysticalAuthoress
Summary: The ball celebrating the defeat of Calamity Ganon occurs, and many unexpected events ensue. Some events have better developments than others.
Relationships: Azuma Kazuma & Daruk, Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda) (onesided and mentioned), Meister Kirisaki & Prince Sidon, Meister Kirisaki/Prince Sidon, Monica Adenauer/Suwabara Kai, Muzu & Prince Sidon, Riju & Yunobo, Shachioko & Urbosa
Series: Trials of the Wild [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094270
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Unexpected Developments

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Yakitate! Japan or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
> 
> This is yet another oneshot in my Yakitate! Japan/The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild series, "Trials of the Wild!" If you haven't read the previous ones (especially "Memory Link" and "Unexpected Guests" and even "Washed Away And On The Ropes") you might want to do so.
> 
> Warning: Yakitate! Japan spoilers, Breath of the Wild spoilers, takes place post-BOTW and is canon-divergent with all the Champions being resurrected after Ganon was defeated. Also, lots of ships are starting to form (technically MoniKai is already canon by the time of this series, as I mentioned way back in the first oneshot "Hopefully") but still.

Meister Kirisaki tried to get ready for the ball.

Emphasis on _tried._ He and the others had clothes tailored for them for the ball, since they had to look nice (and it was refreshing change from the clothes they previously wore). Meister was used to wearing formal clothing, but as he looked at himself in the mirror, he frowned lightly.

It wasn't like the clothing was unflattering on him. The whole outfit certainly looked nice. But it did feel a bit weird not wearing a mask.

Especially with the way Sidon stared at him for that full minute, back at Hylia Lake.

A light groan left him as he thought of that moment, face flushing lightly. He wasn't sure whether he really should find that flattering or weird, and he shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memory. It _was_ oddly flattering, the way Sidon looked at him with such awe. _Reverent,_ potentially.

It was…nice. His lips curled upwards slightly at the corners, and he closed his eyes, leaning forwards against the mirror in front of him.

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts, and he quickly moved towards it, opening it. There stood Princess Zelda. She was clearly dressed for the ball, wearing a beautiful cream-white and blue dress, adorned with the crest of the royal family. "Ah, Meister Kirisaki? I hope that I haven't disturbed you too much, my apologies."

"Princess Zelda." Meister bowed to her. "I'm surprised that you came to see me personally. Is something the matter?"

She took out an item, offering it to him, and he realized that it was a metal mask. It was silver as its base colour, with elegant lines engraved into it. It was a little different from the mask he once wore, as General Manager of Pantasia, but it was still rather nice. "I heard from Prince Sidon that your mask was damaged during your journey here. We managed to have a replica created, if you'd like to wear it. It's not entirely accurate, but Sidon insisted to have it made for you, to replace the one broken during the Blood Moon."

Sidon went to all of this? For _him?_ Meister gazed down at the mask, smiled, and then looked up at Zelda.

"I appreciate the gift, Princess. I think I can make use of it for tonight…"

He had a good idea of what to wear for tonight's ball, now, thanks to one Zora Prince.

* * *

"Are you okay? You've been fidgeting a lot on the way here."

Shachioko groaned as he looked up at Kawachi, shaking his head. He decided to forgo his usual baseball cap, tonight. Didn't seem appropriate for a fancy ball. And he did really like the red suit he wore, with a crisp white shirt. It felt like him…but also didn't?

Shachioko was never one to wear fancy clothes, honestly. He'd take a baseball uniform or even a baker's uniform any day. A sleeveless jean vest. Jeans themselves, and sneakers even! Being in a suit felt…weird. _Uptight._

Made him feel like he had to constantly _impress_ people, and in the way that made one really anxious, as if their life or career were on the line.

And it didn't help that Urbosa was probably in the ballroom by now, either.

"I'm not feeling so hot." Shachioko managed, taking a deep breath. "I mean, what if I make a total fool of myself out there? I've never been to a formal party like this. Not in a while."

"Well," Kawachi offered him a grin, "I'm sure it'll be fine. Just relax. Eat all the food like I do. And all the wine, too."

"Not sure if it's a great time to get drunk, Kawachi."

"What!?" Kawachi stared at him. "We're in a world we have little knowledge of, we have collective amnesia over how we got here in the first place, and we almost died _once_ already. I'm surprised that none of us started drinking already!"

"Fair."

" _Presenting, Kawachi Kyosuke and Shachioko!"_

Shachioko and Kawachi took that as their cue to walk straight into the ballroom. Zora, Rito, Hylians and Gorons alike all greeted them with their stares and/or smiles. Shachioko wasn't sure whether he was supposed to wave at them or just walk down the entrance staircase, but settled for the latter. Kawachi followed suit, hoping that he didn't trip down the stairs.

The good news? Kawachi didn't trip all the way down the stairs.

Bad news? Kawachi tripped on the last few stairs, causing him to fall forwards. Shachioko tried to catch him, but that sent both men falling and hitting the ground. A few collective gasps made Kawachi's face flush, and he got up quickly.

"What the heck was that!?" He heard Shachioko hiss, and he turned to see the other man's face flushed. "Now we look like total idiots."

"Hey! It's not my fault the stairs are slippery!"

" _Presenting, Ryou Kuroyanagi!"_

Kuroyanagi walked into the ballroom wearing a red coat, with scale-like patterns all over it. Black pants and shoes went with it, as well as a plainer, white shirt underneath and a tie. He hadn't done anything special with his hair or anything, other than making sure it looked as neat as usual, but Kawachi had to admit it was one of the man's least ridiculous outfits.

Kuroyanagi somehow did not slip and fall down the stairs like Shachioko and Kawachi did, and Kawachi couldn't help but sigh. Of course _he_ had to look cool. Why couldn't fate give Kawachi himself the same chance?

* * *

Azuma was confused.

He knew who he was…kind-of. But this _Pantasia_ that the others told him about, this bakery…he was part of it? As an employee? And the others were fellow coworkers and friends, too? No matter how much he tried to remember, wracking his brain for information, he didn't remember a thing.

He'd seen Kawachi's face fall at least a few times since he first woke up here, in Hyrule, and he frowned, leaning against the wall. He straightened himself after a moment, before putting a hand to the hairband. He thought it was a little girly, given that it was pink, and he was worried it wouldn't look good with his light blue suit, but the colours worked out well.

" _Presenting, Azuma Kazuma!"_

"Ah!" Azuma dashed for the main doors. "That's my cue!"

Only seconds after his name was announced, Azuma dashed in…

Only to trip and fall down the stairs. A yelp left him as he rolled down the stairs, and he heard people gasping, only for a steady, strong pair of arms to catch him.

"Whoa! You okay, little guy!?"

Azuma looked up to see none other than the bearded, rock-like Champion, Daruk, holding him steady. Azuma, despite feeling sore all over his body, offered Daruk a smile as he straightened himself.

"I-I'm okay. Thanks, though!"

He felt warm prickle up his arm, and his gaze snapped to his left to see Mipha, using a quick bit of healing magic on him. "I hope this helps."

"Thanks, Mipha!"

Azuma wished he had magic powers like that. Maybe some of them could stop him from falling down the stairs…

* * *

" _Presenting, Monica Adenauer and Kai Suwabara!"_

Kai looked a bit too serious for the party, given his facial expression, but Monica was all smiles as they walked in together. Monica switched out her usual outfits for a form-fitting, dark blue dress. Kai wore a slightly-fancier version of his usual clothes (he refused to wear a suit).

Kai usually wasn't a man of extravagance. He usually focused on the simpler things in life. Even back when he inherited his master's dojo, he only renovated it for the sake of necessity and function, not to make it look pretty (Monica had a hand in choosing most of the wall painting and other aesthetic details).

This ballroom had to be the most extravagant place in the whole castle, as far as he was concerned. The chandeliers glowed with a bright, cheery flames above the crowds of Zora, Hylians, Gorons and Gerudo alilke. Couples adorned in fancy clothes danced with each other in the general dancing area as music swayed through the air and Kai's own ears, sonorous and steady.

"This is amazing, Kai." He heard Monica speak up, and he turned his head towards her, seeing her smile. She wore elbow-length gloves, mainly to hide the scars she had on her hands from baking. Kai wished that Monica would just let them be exposed freely. It shouldn't be a shame for her to hide that she made beautiful craftsmanship with such hands. Then again, the people of Hyrule might not be as accustomed to candy-making like Monica did (Kai noticed Zelda staring at Monica's hands a few times with concern, during their stay here so far).

"It is." He agreed quietly, offering her his best smile. He'd never been a person that smiled much, and he didn't expect that to change too soon. But he wanted Monica to enjoy this evening, at least. It was the least he could do for her, in a world that neither him or the other bakers had a clue about fully navigating.

* * *

Prince Sidon wondered how Meister was faring. He hadn't shown up yet. Was he still trying to get ready for the ball? What if he was upset by the replicated mask Sidon sent to him? He hoped he hadn't offended the other man by giving him a replacement, especially with the likely inaccuracy it held, appearance-wise.

"Brother?" He looked towards Mipha, who was with him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sister." He managed. "I'm just curious about Kirisaki. He hasn't arrived yet…"

That was when the announcer called, _"Presenting, Meister Kirisaki!"_

Sidon turned towards the ballroom entrance as Meister Kirisaki walked into the ballroom, and Sidon found himself beholding the sight of him with awe.

Meister wore the mask that Sidon gifted to him more as headwear rather than over his face; he had it wrapped around the upper left side of his forehead. His blond hair was tied back in a neat, low ponytail, adorned with a few braids in it. The rest of his outfit included cream-white shoes, trousers, a frilled, long-sleeved shirt, and even a light blue scarf. His coat and shoes were also a light blue, with a feather sort of pattern at the hem of the sleeves, and yet the coat flowed down to about his knees, as if it were like water.

Meister approached Sidon first, bowing lightly, before speaking.

"Prince Sidon." Meister smiled at him, and the ballroom suddenly felt a little warmer to the Zora Prince. "Thank you, for the gift. I highly appreciate your consideration."

Sidon already felt Muzu's eyes on him, but he did his best to shake it off as he smiled back at Meister. "You're most welcome, my friend."

At least Meister was happy. And Sidon was glad to know that.

* * *

Monica was glad to be at the castle right now. Sure, she was in a whole other world, but at least she had Kai and her fellow coworkers by her side, on top of being at this awesome party. She'd struck up a friendship of sorts with Riju, Mipha and Urbosa, too, and it was nice to talk with them throughout the evening. Even Kai managed to converse with Revali and Daruk politely, too, and no fights between Kawachi and Kai broke out yet, so that was a bonus.

Teba was with his family; his wife, Saki, and his son, Tulin. Monica thought she saw Teba smiling as Tulin excitedly chirped around him, and Saki looked at ease by Teba's side as Teba looked towards her. It reminded her of her own family, just briefly. They'd been happy once.

She missed those days. She tried not to think of what happened to her parents too much, now. She took a deep breath, noticing Kuroyanagi standing on his lonesome, looking at Mipha from some distance away, who was speaking with a few other Zora.

She noticed Yunobo at the snack table, and Kuroyanagi was looking at not just Mipha...but also the snack table. Uh oh.

She knew the man had a ravenous appetite. If he started eating, he would not be stopped. In order to prevent early tragedy of the castle lacking food in the party, she immediately made a beeline for Kuroyanagi, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention and divert it away from the food.

* * *

Kuoryanagi wasn't so much hungry as he was just trying to figure out whether he should try to bother asking Mipha to dance with him. It _had_ been a long time since he approached any ladies, honestly. From running around getting work done to dealing with other coworkers' shenanigans, he really just…didn't know how to approach others in more casual settings. Or big social events like this one. Talking business and other formalities was fine. But having more fun conversations felt awkward to him.

Especially if he wanted to get closer to someone in more than friendship.

He wasn't entirely sure if he felt that way about Mipha. And she was just starting to get over her previous attraction for Link (who he hadn't met yet, and someone he suspected was a very private person, considering gaining knowledge of Link being not much of a talker, from the other Champions).

He lost his train of thought as Monica Adenauer tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned to face her as she spoke.

"You should dance with her." Monica pointed towards Mipha, smiling up at Kuroyanagi with a giggle. "It would be so adorable! Besides, you two get along well."

"What?" Kuroyanagi tried not to blush. "I can't just ask her, Monica. She's Zora royalty. And she's the Champion. She probably has a ton of suitors waiting for her hand, and..."

"Oh, just _do it!"_ She pushed him towards her. "What's the worst that could happen? Her saying no?"

"But-!?" It was too late. Kuroyanagi found himself standing beside Mipha, who looked towards him.

"Oh, Kuroyanagi." She smiled softly up at him. At least she was done talking with the other Zora by now, and was on her own. "I hope you're enjoying the festivities so far."

"I am." He admitted awkwardly, offering her a smile. "There was a lot of delicious food served so far…" He wasn't sure whether he should be horrified at how nervous he sounded, or slapping himself over it right now. It was always hard for him to approach a potential date; he'd been the same way with Cathy, back at Harvard! At least back then, Kidd backed him up and was his wingman. Right now, it was all on Kuroyanagi and Kuroyanagi alone.

 _What's the worst that could happen?_ Monica's statement echoed in the back of his mind. _Her saying no?_

She was right. He knew he had to take this chance. Who knew when _else_ they'd have an opportunity like this? And even with Dorephan and Muzu around, as well as Sidon, it wasn't like they could stop him from dancing with her during a ball like this one. Sidon was occupied with Meister approaching him nearby, and Dorephan and Muzu hadn't given him death glares _yet._

"Mipha?" He finally spoke up, looking her in the eyes. He offered her his hand, outstretched. "I was wondering…will you dance with me? Please?"

Mipha's eyes widened, and he thought that she might be blushing. A soft giggle left her lips, before she placed her hand in his. "I'd be happy to dance with you, Kuroyanagi."

"Please," He managed, smiling back at her, "Call me Ryou, if you'd like."

* * *

Meister noticed Kuroyanagi and Mipha were getting along rather well, given how the two went to dance together. It was _adorable_ , the way those two looked at each other as they danced, with how they smiled.

"It seems my sister and Kuroyanagi are getting along well." Sidon managed, chuckling lightly as he watched them.

"It seems so, indeed." Meister found it amusing. Perhaps the two gained some interest in each other. It would do them well, he thought. It would be adorable. He looked up at Sidon, then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"Oh?" Sidon looked toward him, frowning a little. "What for?"

"I hope that it wasn't considered rude to wear your gift to me as a _headpiece_ , rather than over my face as traditionally used." Meister swallowed lightly. "I just thought it would change up my appearance a bit, especially since this ball isn't exclusively themed as a masquerade. I think I saw Muzu glaring at me, though."

"It's quite alright." Sidon reassured him with a smile. "I think it's rather innovative. And you look fantastic tonight, too! And as for Muzu…" A light sigh left him, and he shook his head. "Do not be worried. He's only started warming up to Hylians, as well as the rest of the Zora elders, and knows little of you. I'm sure he'll warm up to you in time."

"Thank you. You look lovely, as well."

Silence fell between them. Meister was glad to be by Sidon's side tonight, as the rest of his coworkers were occupied with conversing with others, or dancing with others in Kuroyanagi and Mipha's case at least. And speaking of being by his side…

Meister paused, looking up at Sidon, then towards the dancing couples. It was nice, being by Sidon's side, but maybe…? He took a deep breath, looking up at Sidon again. "Prince Sidon?"

"Yes?"

"Dance with me? Please?"

He saw Sidon's eyes widen, before the Prince uttered, "Dance? With you?"

"Yes." Meister swallowed lightly. Was he being too forwards? How did Zora function in terms of asking people to dance with people? Was it a different thing between humans and Zora? Was it weird? Considered scandalous, possibly? Who knows?

Either way, he was in too deep already the moment he asked Sidon to dance with him. "I just thought…neither of us have partners to dance with, and we're closer together height-wise." Sidon was still taller than him, but better him and Sidon rather than, who knows, him and Riju for example? Or anyone significantly shorter than either of them? "Of course, if you don't want to, that's fine as well."

Sidon didn't _have_ to say yes. Meister wouldn't be surprised if Sidon said no, honestly. They only knew each other for such a short time, and sure, Sidon was so nice and considerate to craft him a new mask and even save his life, but that didn't mean…

But then he saw Sidon's eyes light up as he blurted out, "Oh, I'd be _delighted_ to dance with you!"

"What?" Meister took his turn staring at him. "Really?"

"Yes." Sidon smiled, and it was hard not to smile back at him with how sunny he was. "Let us dance together!"

Meister let Sidon lead him out towards the clearing in the ballroom where everyone was dancing, letting him whisk him away into an enthusiastic waltz. _Maybe Revali was right,_ he realized. _Maybe I need to stop thinking so much._

* * *

"What the…?"

 _Oh_. Revali hadn't expected that to happen. Mipha and Kuroyanagi was something he'd seen coming this whole time, but Meister and Sidon were a whole other case. The two only had time to themselves since, when, the time when the masked man got washed down the river?

Then again, Sidon _did_ save his life. Perhaps the dancing was Meister's way of thanking him. And Revali knew that the mask Meister wore right now was _not_ the same one he wore before. _I wonder…well, it's not my business._ Whatever they were up to, as long as they were happy, Revali was happy they were getting along.

Revali stayed off to the side of the ballroom, observing the festivities. He never really enjoyed being forced to socialize or even be at grand galas like this. However, he did have to admit that it was nice, seeing everyone having a good time. And at least Calamity Ganon was gone, on top of that.

There was one certain knight he expected to see, and yet he didn't see him. He scoffed lightly. Not only did Link take a hundred years to save Hyrule, but he couldn't even be here to celebrate the defeat of Calamity Ganon? Seemed a bit rude, in Revali's opinion. Not quite befitting of a Champion, let alone the Hero that wielded that little darkness-sealing sword.

A quiet sigh left him as he headed towards one of the open side balconies, looking up towards the starry night sky. At least being alive meant one thing, however: He could battle Link in a proper spar. The Hylian Champion versus the Rito Champion…it _would_ be a battle for the ages, wouldn't it?

The question was whether Link would show up. Revali was sure he would. After all, he made it up to Medoh somehow, with Teba's help, and achieved things that even Revali himself couldn't achieve. Surely making it to Princess (soon-to-be-Queen, Revali reminded himself) Zelda's ball shouldn't be so hard.

He noticed a soft thud to his left, and he turned to see none other than said swordsman he thought of. He'd dressed in more formal attire; dark green with some hints of blue to accentuate his shirt collar and sleeves. Even though he wasn't dressed like he was when all the Champions were first appointed, Revali could never mistake those blue eyes, blond hair and his whole face for anyone else's.

"It's you." A scoff left Revali, but he couldn't help the small smirk, after that. "As silent as ever, I see."

* * *

Urbosa danced with a few people; Daruk, for instance, and even Princess (soon-to-be-Queen) Zelda herself. It was nice to be back with the Princess and her fellow Champions. She'd seen Link quietly at the sidelines at some point, but he vanished almost moments after he was spotted. Maybe he just wanted privacy. She decided not to go on a manhunt to find him, and instead focused on the current festivities.

"H-hey, Urbosa?"

She turned to see none other than Shachioko approach her. He'd ditched his usual cap, and he wore a red suit that actually looked good on him. It was a very different look from

It is not an unattractive look on him, she decided. He does, however, seem uncomfortable, shifting his feet a bit where he stood. It didn't seem normal for him to be so…nervous? Anxious? But what was he even anxious about? She'd expected him to enjoy himself, chat around a bit with the others, but instead, he looked like prey about to swallowed by predators.

"Good evening." She spoke, eyeing the voe. "Are you alright, Shachioko? You seem rather pale."

"Me? Pale?" A brief chuckle left him as he scratched the back of his head. "Maybe I just need more food or something. I'm not used to being in super-formal events, so sorry if I seem kinda-off."

"I see." She had a feeling he was more nervous than for just being in a formal event like this, but she decided it was best to keep up polite conversation for now. "It's not often I've been to formal events such as this. The last time I was, it was when we Champions were first appointed."

"Really?" He stared up at her. "What was it like? Was it…were you just randomly chosen by the goddesss Hylia, or the King, or…?"

"It was Princess Zelda who asked me for my assistance, actually." Urbosa still remembered the day Zelda searched for her. "I knew her mother well, before then. Unfortunately, she passed when Zelda was quite young."

"Really?" He seemed enthralled with that information, eyes widening. "Well, I'm…sorry to hear that. That…must suck."

"It was unfortunate, yes. But Zelda's strong. She's persevered all these years with not just Calamity Ganon, but now restoring Hyrule as much as she can…as fast as she can." Urbosa wished she hadn't died when Calamity Ganon's Blights had struck, leaving her unable to do a thing for a century to help Zelda and Link. "I know she'll do all she can to carry through the current restorations and other essential duties to make sure Hyrule is fully at peace, but I worry for her."

"I see…" He paused, brows furrowing lightly. Urbosa wondered if something about this struck a chord with him. "Well, I'm glad that she's determined to do what she has to do. Have you, I don't know, tried talking to her about this?"

"She's been busy with her many duties, including organizing this ball, so I haven't had the chance to speak with her about this." She admitted. "Perhaps tomorrow morning. I want to let her enjoy this time."

"Right, right. Makes sense."

The two fell into silence, before Shachioko cleared his throat, looking up at her.

"I know this is probably kinda weird coming from me, but…will you…uh, dance with me? Please?" He scratched the back of his head. "I know I'm not a super-great dancer, but I thought it would be fun, and it would beat standing around awkwardly."

As awkward as Shachioko was, Urbosa decided, he was amusing. And it would be nice to get to know him and the others, so…

"I accept."

* * *

Shachioko couldn't believe it. Urbosa said _yes_ to dancing with him?

That…was something he hadn't expected. He enthusiastically went out to the dancefloor with her. Unfortunately, he didn't know much in the ways of dancing, so Urbosa quickly took the lead once they both realized this.

"Next time," Urbosa chuckled, "You don't have to be so nervous. Dancing around the subject isn't something we do in the desert."

"Right." He wasn't sure whether he should shrink into a tiny ball from embarrassment at his earlier behaviour or not. However, he wanted to enjoy this moment, and so he tried not to think too hard about things as the dance went on.

* * *

Mipha was happy that she got the chance to dance with Kuroyanagi. Kuroyanagi hastily went straight for the food table after the music died down, and Mipha just let him go do his own thing while she looked around.

She noticed Sidon and Meister, slowing down from dancing but smiling. Urbosa chuckling as Shachioko tripped a few times mid-dance. Monica and Kai slow dancing. Teba and his family stick together, with Yunobo and Daruk also partaking in the food tables like Kuroyanagi did. Azuma and Kawachi, speaking to each other in low voices, but they seemed fine.

And then she noticed Muzu and and her father Dorephan, both looking absolutely baffled at Meister and Sidon dancing together. She tried her best to ignore them, but she had a feeling that Sidon would have to talk to them at some point and clarify anything that needed, er, clarifying. She wasn't sure exactly what the bonds between her younger brother and Meister were like; sure, Sidon saved Meister's life, and the two seemed at least friendly towards each other.

"Mipha? Are you okay?"

She looked up to see Kuroyanagi. He had a few skewers of food that he was still chowing down on, but his gaze softened as he looked into her eyes. Her heart fluttered in her chest briefly, before she offered him a soft grin. "I'm fine, thank you. How's the food?"

"The chefs know what they're doing with these skewers." Kuroyanagi admitted, after swallowing another bite. "I can recognize most of what they used to season the meat, but there's a certain spice that just grows in intensity in the aftertaste…what did they put in it?"

She knew Kuroyanagi had such a palette for food, given what she'd observed of him eating the fish from Marot Mart, but the fact that he could distinguish most of the ingredients was pretty impressive. "I vaguely recall Daruk telling me the castle chefs acquired a new shipment of Goron Spice…maybe that's what you're tasting?"

"Goron Spice?" Kuroyanagi's brows furrowed, a little hum leaving his lips. "I wonder if I can get permission from the chefs to try a bit of it. I have a lot of new things to try here, while I'm in Hyrule."

"Well," A chuckle left her, "I'm sure they'll be happy to let you try, as long as you don't eat the entire supply."

A sheepish sigh left him at that. "I can't guarantee that, unfortunately. But I'll try, for their sakes. I can't imagine Princess Zelda would be happy if I ate out their pantry."

"Probably not, no."

Mipha couldn't stop either her or Kuroyangi from sharing some laughter after that. It was nice, being here and by his side, having the opportunity to learn about him, and him to learn about her. Maybe…

She thought of Link, and frowned lightly. She knew she shouldn't get too ahead of herself. Kuroyanagi was a friend, not another possible romantic partner. Besides, he'd be going back to Japan at some point. Best not to dwell too much on it, in her opinion. Otherwise, any chance of romance or even friendship could be taken from her, like with what happened with Link all those years ago…

* * *

Riju was having an honestly fun time at this ball. She got to dance with a few people, Yunobo included, chat with Princess Zelda and the others, and she even saw some couples dancing…some more unexpected than others.

"Riju?" She turned to see Yunobo, who looked a bit puzzled. He frowned lightly, looking around briefly before asking, "Have you seen Link at all?"

Riju frowned. "Now that you mention it, Yunobo, I haven't. I thought he'd be here, considering that this is a ball meant to celebrate defeating Calamity Ganon."

"I remember Zelda mentioning Link went out to see Impa about a few things in Kakariko Village, so maybe he couldn't make it back in time." Yunobo shrugged.

"Maybe…"

That was when Riju eyed one of the nearby balconies. Revali was there, but so was someone else. Someone familiar. She smiled, before looking towards Yunobo.

"I'm sure wherever he is," She finished, "He'll be fine."

* * *

Daruk was having the time of his life. He got to dance with a few of his fellow Champions, eat a whole ton of food (they even had Rock Roasts! _Amazing!_ ) and now the party was dying down. The guests were slowly leaving, and the food available was declining.

Not that Daruk needed any more food. He was pretty sure he was stuffed from all that he ate from the food tables, tonight. During the evening, other than dancing and eating, he did chat with a couple of the others. Teba, for instance, and meeting his wife Saki and their son Tulin. They seemed like a sweet family. And then there was Dorephan and Muzu, who he hadn't really met in-person a hundred years ago, but at least they managed some polite small-talk.

Azuma was having a good time, too, or at least as far as Daruk figured from just watching him hang out with Kawachi and the others. Just because the little guy lacked his memory didn't mean that he lacked his appetite!

"Oof." Daruk turned to see Azuma approaching him with a soft chuckle. He seemed in good spirits, with bright eyes and a wide grin on his face. "I think I ate too much…"

"Well, at least you'll get your strength up a bit faster with all the food." Daruk chuckled at seeing how tuckered out Azuma was. "You look like you need a lot more sleep, though."

Azuma nodded in agreement, looking around. There were more guests slowly leaving, with the party basically being over at this point. "It was fun. Tonight, that is. But…" He turned towards Daruk, and he noticed Azuma's frown. "I still can't remember anything about Pantasia."

"That bad, huh?" Daruk frowned a little. "Sorry to hear that. Probably doesn't help that you're not, you know, _home,_ but I'm sure something will come up. You're not the only one I've met who currently has memory issues."

"Really?" Azuma stared. "Who else has memory problems?"

"This little guy, Link. He's the Hylian Champion. Also was the one chosen to help seal the darkness and also defeated Calamity Ganon when we couldn't. But he also has a ton of memory loss and we're not even sure if he's recovered all his memories, by now."

"He lost his memory, too?" Azuma frowned. "Did he come from another world?"

"No. He just got really injured from fighting Calamity Ganon a hundred years ago. The Princess put him in this chamber, and then he slept for a hundred years to recover so he could fight and defeat Ganon again, after waking up. He also freed us from Ganon's Blights, too." Daruk scratched the back of his head, thinking of the little guy. "I haven't actually seen him much since Ganon was defeated. Then again, I've been busy in Goron City up until I started travelling with Suwabara…but I hope he's okay."

"Oh." Azuma frowned lightly. "I hope he's okay, too." He paused, then looked up at Daruk. "Do you think he came here? This is a party meant to celebrate defeating Calamity Ganon, right?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he did. Maybe." Daruk looked around. "Now that you mention it, I haven't actually seen him tonight. Then again, he's kinda busy with something…"

Oh well. Either way, hopefully Link got his chance to eat a rock roast or two while he was here. Daruk still remembered how the little guy tried to chow down on a roast once or twice. It was amusing, honestly, and recalling that time made him smile.

"Hopefully you get to meet him." He managed, looking towards Azuma. "I feel like you two would get along well. He's a quiet guy but he's good."

He had a feeling Azuma and Link would get along. They both were nice people. They liked food. Why wouldn't it work out?

* * *

Teba was on the way back to his guest room. Because it was so late after the party ended, Zelda offered to let not just him but also Saki and Tulin have guest rooms.

He also had _quite_ the discussion with Saki during and after the party– she was worried for him, naturally, considering that he went off to go help Master Revali and Meister Kirisaki with their travels, and now there was the issue of the amnesiac Azuma Kazuma and the bakers still trying to figure out their way home.

On one hand, Teba considered going home with his wife and their son after tonight. It was clear the bakers were in good hands with the Champions as is, despite the whole Blood Moon incident and temporarily getting separated from each other. It also helped that the bakers were at least learning basic combat, too, to defend themselves.

On the other hand, these bakers barely knew a _thing_ about the entirety of Hyrule. Meister was familiar with Rito Village, for example, but none of the others were. All of them came from completely different places in Hyrule, and that put everyone at both an advantage of knowing the various places they'd been, but at a disadvantage of _all_ the places they hadn't been to, yet, even with sharing knowledge with each other and learning from the Champions. The Blood Moon reappearing hadn't helped either.

Both of them came to the conclusion that Teba would stick with the rest of the bakers as long as they needed him. Rito Village could last a little while without him, especially with Medoh no longer being a threat. Saki could take care of Tulin, probably with Harth's help, and she and Teba would send letters as needed whenever they could. Teba also promised to come home and visit inbetween whenever he could, too, so that helped ease Saki's worries as well.

Saki and Tulin had already departed to get some sleep, and Teba was quickly following when he overheard voices in the halls. He frowned, straining his ear. Whatever it was didn't sound good. Teba peered around the corner to see none other than Sidon, and a certain manta-ray-headed Zora with him.

The looks on their faces indicated that whatever they were talking about wasn't good.

"Muzu," It was Prince Sidon, frowning as he faced a manta ray-faced Zora, "I only got it crafted for him to replace the mask he lost, during our travels. That's all, I assure you."

"Pardon my bluntness, Prince Sidon," Muzu argued, "But if the rest of our people back in the Domain saw this, they would've thought you and him were _courting_. And though I am warming up to Hylians myself, I cannot say that the other elders will warm up so quickly, even with Princess Mipha's revival and the Hero saving us all."

"I understand that…"

"His name is Meister Sylvan Kirisaki, correct?"

"Yes." Sidon sounded strained. "I assure you, he is a good person. He's been nothing but kind and helpful, much like Ryou and Monica when they first stayed in the Domain with us."

"I only wanted to point this out to caution you, my Prince." Muzu's gaze softened lightly. "You may be Princess Mipha's younger brother and therefore Mipha was to succeed your father by default a hundred years ago, with you to take over by default after her death once your father retired. However, your father is still undecided on who will ultimately be his successor, with her revival. What you do will be watched carefully."

Sidon's head dipped, and Teba couldn't see his eyes from where he stood. "I understand…"

Teba frowned, quickly and quietly leaving the two of them. This didn't sound good. He was aware that Meister and Sidon danced together, and that Sidon got a new mask made for him after the first one broke. But what if this forebode danger to Meister? Or the others, in the long run?

Teba knew Meister was a good man. But he also was very new to this world, and the last thing any of the bakers needed right now was making potential enemies (other than Ganon's forces, which was a given to happen considering the recent Blood Moon and all).

He just hoped, as he headed straight to Meister's guest room, that he would be safe. That things would be fine and that this situation would blow over with nothing to worry about in the future.

But it never hurt to give him a warning. Just in case.


End file.
